Allegiant Adds Spokane & Boise Flights From Honolulu

Yet more good news for Hawaii's airlift scene: Allegiant Air is adding new nonstop air service from the mainland to Honolulu.

The carrier will begin service between Honolulu and Boise, Idaho as of February 9, and between Honolulu and Spokane, Washington on February 8. The Boise flights depart Honolulu on Saturdays at 12:45 p.m. and arrive in Idaho at 9:35 p.m., and leave again at 9:35 a.m. on Sunday to arrive in Honolulu at 11:55 a.m. The Washington flights leave Honolulu at 11 a.m. on Fridays and arrive in Spokane at 7 p.m. The flights depart Spokane again at 7 a.m. on Saturdays and arrive at 11:30 a.m.

Mike McCartney, President and CEO of the Hawaii Tourism Authority, said that the weekly direct service from both Boise and Spokane to Honolulu will create an additional 233 air seats to Hawaii per route, per week. Each route will generate an estimated $13.4 million in visitor expenditures and $1.4 million in tax revenue for the state of Hawaii.

"Allegiant’s service model of connecting smaller regional markets opens up new gateway cities for the Hawaiian Islands," McCartney said in a statement, adding that the service will also appeal to Canadians living across the border, near Spokane.

According to the Canadian Airports Council, more than 75 percent of Canadians live within 90 minutes of the U.S. border. Within the last year, as many as 4.8 million Canadians opted to drive across the border to catch a flight from a U.S. airport rather than from their local airport, in order to save on travel costs. "These savings translate to more flexibility and freedom to enjoy the destination," McCartney added.